Finally it's happened -- the '90s are back

The Pony’s summer lineup includes ’90s reggae rockers 311 on July 18 and the ’90s-themed Under the Sun tour with Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth and Jersey’s own Blues Traveler on July 25.
(Photo:
Mark R. Sullivan/Staff Photographer
)

What happens whenever the Jersey Shore's DJ Encore plays a song from the '90s?

"Everybody goes crazy," Encore said.

The '90s was the decade of flannel, rap wars and scrunchies. And in case you haven't noticed it, they're back.

Well, thankfully not the rap wars.

"I feel like '90s music had a lot more soul and especially the lyrics — in the '90s they said something you could relate to," said Encore, a.k.a. Brian Unglert of Toms River.

Encore's Nine Deeez Nite is Friday, July 11, at the Jenks Club in Point Pleasant Beach.

"I could have a crowd of all ages, and when I play 'Show Me Love' (the 1993 club hit by Robin S) or 'Finally' (1991 by Ce Ce Peniston) ... I get a positive reaction," he said. "People believe the energy of the song. At some part in their lives, they have great memory of fun music."

The '90s revival is a bit less formed and more dissipated as compared to other decade revivals. In the early '70s, rock 'n' roll oldies shows and George Lucas' "American Graffiti" sparked a '50s revival. And in the '00s, the '80s revival was generated by a renewed interest in '80s alternative rock. (Note: We credit the late Jim Dunlap for starting what we believe to be the first '80s night in the country in 1993 at the former Melody Bar in New Brunswick.)

The '90s revival is happening now on several fronts, including rock 'n' roll.

"The '90s bands are still young. They're in their 30s and 40s, and they're still active," said Kyle Brendle, house promoter for the Stone Pony in Asbury Park.

The Pony's summer lineup includes '90s reggae rockers 311 on July 18 and the '90s-themed Under the Sun tour with Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth and Jersey's own Blues Traveler on July 25. "The '90s was pop rock with short, catchy songs."

There's also the Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden double bill at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel on Aug. 2. The two bands represent the grittier '90s rock elements of industrial and grunge, respectively. Also, '90s chanteuse Alanis Morissette plays Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown on July 25 and the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank on July 27.

Yet, if there's one style of music for which the '90s represent a golden era, it's hip-hop. Two of rap's biggest stars — Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. — were at their zenith when they lost their lives in shootings (Shakur in '96 and Biggie in '97), which are unsolved to this day. It is speculated that they were casualties of an East Coast-West Coast rap war.

Shakur's life is depicted in the play "Holler If Ya Hear Me," now at the Palace Theatre on Broadway.

"You had artists who created their own path. They started a movement that could never be touched again," said Encore. "Big Daddy Kane, A Tribe Called Quest — a lot of these groups and artists, their music still lives. When I play their songs, people come up from me in the crowd to say, "Thank you, thank you.' "

While Shakur and Biggie received most of the mainstream attention in the decade, there were several hip-hop/R&B movements just as artistically relevant, such as the jazzy Native Tongues movement, which included the Jungle Brothers, De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest, and the New Jack Swing era, which included Bell Biv DeVoe and Tony! Toni! Tone!

Also, the decade's female R&B groups — including TLC, SWV, En Vogue, Destiny's Child and Total — are remembered for their vocal excellence.

"The formula of the '90s was that of individuality," said Edison native Pam Long, a member of Total. "We were groomed back then, Total, TLC, SWV. We definitely were raised up in the industry, meaning that we were out at the functions, we had to go through public relations, we had to have the etiquette, all of those things. You really were groomed in the industry back then.

"Nowadays, for whatever reason, they don't spend that time developing the artists anymore."

Members of Total recently reunited to, in part, take advantage of the new interest in '90s music, Long said. They played a '90s-themed show at the Wembley Arena in London with En Vogue, Blackstreet 2, Tony! Toni! Tone! and Mint Condition and a homecoming show at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway.

"What's going on with music today is that everybody's looking to be the next Beyoncé, everybody's looking to be the next Jay Z, everybody's looking to be the next whatever's hot at the moment," Long said. "They say, 'If I can duplicate that,' as opposed to, 'This is who I am.' "

Regional '90s hip-hop nights include DJs Emynd and Bo Bliz's "It's the Year" quarterly party at Johnny Brenda's in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia and Mandeep Bindra's "Yo! The '90s Hip-Hop and R&B Party" every third Saturday of the month at the Vida Bar and Bistro in Elizabeth.

"Even the hairstyles are coming back," said Bindra, of the Somerset section of Franklin.

"The hi-top fades, the Gumby that Bobby Brown used to wear ... all that stuff is making a resurgence."

Scrunchies. Like that notorious ponytail holder known to pop up in TV shows like "Sex & The City," "Saved by The Bell,'' "Full House," "Beverly Hills 90210'' and "Seinfeld." Rita Ora and actress Selena Gomez were recently seen sporting them, according to the New York Post.

311 with Passafire: 5 p.m. Friday, July 18, $45 in advance and $50 at the door, and the Under the Sun Tour with Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth, Blues Traveler and Uncle Kracker, 5 p.m. Friday, July 25, $39.50 in advance and $45 at the door; both at the Stone Pony Summer Stage, 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; 732-502-0600, www.stoneponyonline.com